From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), yesterday, berated President Bola Tinubu over the size of his delegation to the Conference of the Parties (COP28) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).
In statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, the party said the 1,41-man delegation was full of the president ‘s cronies and political minions at the expense of the country.
The opposition party noted that the development was a validation that the All Progressives Congress ( APC)-led administration is “wasteful, frivolous and reckless in the application of the scarce resources of the nation.”
It stated that this is especially against the backdrop that this is at a time when the citizen are yearning for prudent management of resources so as to “achieve the desired infrastructural regeneration, job creation and revamping of the economy.”
The party charged the National Assembly, to immediately commence an investigation into the issue, in line with
Section 88 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and to impose appropriate sanction to any one found culpable.
“The PDP dismisses the feeble attempt by the Presidency to rationalize the over-bloated delegation by trying to hide under genuine sub-national officials, businesses, journalists and Civil societies who are travelling at their own expense to cover the baggage of cronies, mistresses and other hangers-on associated with the Presidency who are reportedly attending at government’s expense and have no relevance whatsoever at the Conference.
“Our Party and all well-meaning Nigerians are appalled by the level of profligacy inherent in the APC administration whose actions and policies so far are skewed towards the promotion and institutionalization of corruption.
“The attempt to deceive Nigerians even when the list of the delegation is in the public domain, shows that the APC administration is irredeemably depraved.
“We ask, why would a country whose citizens are dying daily from inability to purchase necessities be willing to fritter its resources and scarce foreign exchange in such a manner? It only points to the fact that this administration is not interested in the good of the generality of our citizens but for a select few positioned to fleece the nation’s resources.”
The opposition party challenged the Presidency to come clean by revealing the identities of members of the official delegation sponsored by the Federal Government to the conference, their relevance to the conference and the cost of the sponsorship.
“Of course, Nigerians have the list and they know the genuine, officials of sub-national governments and other self-sponsored entities at the Conference. Our Party also demands that President Tinubu should be ready to refund any Federal Government fund improperly spent to sponsor any individual who has no relevance at the Conference. Such funds should be channeled to projects that have direct bearing on the wellbeing of Nigerians.”